Category: Touring

August 6 CK and I head to the Red Barn to leave his van while we ride the Cabot Tail. After unloading our bikes and gear we head up the road on the Cabot Trail to Baddeck.

We stopped for lunch at the Lobster Gallery in St. Ann’s. The ride to here was without a bit of fuss. CK had forgotten to load the Canada maps into his Wahoo so he had a blank screen with only the arrows of the route. He did not have any roads to follow. I had forgotten to load the Cabot Trail route that he found on the internet so I had only a map on roads and no route to follow. We ended on a closed back class 4 road in the woods. We decided to turn back and get back onto a road that brought us back to the Cabot Trail. We met a couple from Quebec touring to Sidney to board the ferry to Newfoundland. The storm with wind and heavy rain caught us as we began riding to our campsite at the Cabot Shores Campground and Resort.

The rain faded to a drizzle as we set up our tents.

Today, Day 2, we are off to Ingonish Beach Campground. Today we rode a low mileage day because of the long hard climb ahead of us. We got over the first significant climb on the Cabot Trail, Smokey Mountain.

We are in the National Park now and will be for a few days. It is now cool and windy. Heavy rain is predicted, so we will see what happens.

Day 3 MacIntosh Brook Campground is our goal. This is a small tent site campground that is first come, so we can not reserve a site. This campground is also after our second massive climb and in a valley before our third big climb.

We got wet. We got tired. We arrive late but before sundown. He met some wonderful people camping here. Three of these people were also bike touring. A couple from Toronto came in and set up quickly before settling in for the night. Moritz, a German, was touring and heading our way.

We slept on our mattresses in the pavilion both for comfort and to save time in the morning. It rained all night so this was a good choice. We were able to leave early for our next mountain pass. This time we would be riding along the ridge before descending.

Day 4 We start the steep climb up the mountain in rain and strong wind.

At the top we rode the ridge into the strong wind. The road is winding and so we switch for headwind, crosswind, and tailwind. We stopped at French Lake for a break and photo op. Leaving with a tail wind I clip one foot into the pedal and push off. The wind instantly pushes me to a 20 mph coast. This wind is called LaSuettes and blow at 200k per hour.

We get to the coast and start the drop to the ocean below. The views are out of this world gorgeous. We stop many times to take photos.

Riding along the coast we experience strong winds coming at us from all directions. I am blown off my bicycle twice and forced to walk. I mount my bike again and try to ride. While stopping to photograph a view, I straddled my bike and bent over the handlebars. The wind hits me head on and I am pushed back on sliding feet for twelve inches.

We get to our campsite outside of Cheticamp to find Moritz waiting for us.

Day 5 We woke to steady rain on the tent. I was able to break down my tent and pack all my gear under the rain fly. The fly went into a dry bag. Today it rained and drizzled with some wind. A wet day on the bike. Hunter Mountain was the last climb and it was long and steep.

We ride to the van, load the bikes and gear and drive to Whycocomagh Provincial Park. We are sitting in camp with clothes and gear drying in the wind.

Nancy now has her car and is on her way here to meet and be with us.

August 1 Nancy came back to camp with a rental car to Laurie Provincial Park with the news that it will be at least a week for her car to be looked at and diagnosed. My friend CK is at a campsite in Maine. We had planned to meet up in Cape Breton to ride the Cabot Tail together. With all the setbacks, the flooding and car trouble, I will not be able to connect with him where we had planned.

August 2-5 Last night CK and I made plans to meet in Truro at the Bay of Fundy Discovery Center. This is the tip of the Bay of Fundy and just off the highway 104. Ck will be passing here on his way to Boylston Provincial Park for a two night stay.

Now we are off to Bear on the Lake Hostel in Aberdeen for a two night stay before we begin our tour of the Cabot Trail.

July 30 I decided to stay at the campsite to check over my bike and be with the dogs. This, unknowingly, was a very wise choice. Not long after Nancy left I got a frantic phone call. The car that she had recently bought for this trip died on the roadside. Hours went by and then I got another call, her car was towed to a Dodge dealership. Being Sunday it was closed so she booked a motel room and planned to go to the dealership in the morning.

The dealership informed her that it was most likely the transmission and sent it off to another shop that specializes in transmissions. A frantic night for sure!

July 31 Nancy talked to the transmission shop, they confirmed this is the problem and they searched for a good rebuilt transmission. Now the estimated time to get her car back is at best a week but most likely two weeks. Nancy was able to get a rental car but it won’t be available until 3PM tomorrow, Tuesday.

We have now skipped over Plan B and landed on Plan F because this is such an F’ed up mess. I will see Nancy again late tomorrow after she gets the rental car and drives back to camp.

Oh, the canister of dog food is in the car! A camp neighbor gave me enough food to feed boys last night and this morning. Another neighbor offered to drive me to a store today so I could get enough dog food until Nancy brings the canister back with her.

Pics of the lake at the campground. The boys and I walked over there tonight.

A long hot and tiring day. A hand full of detours because the roads and bridges are gone from the rain two weeks ago. This area got a years worth of rain in 13 hours! I came across a bike shop/cafe at 3 PM so I stopped for my first meal since breakfast.

McNab’s Walk, a cut through from one road to another.

I finally got to camp with daylight but it will be gone soon. Tomorrow is a rest and check bike day.

July 28 The rain overnight was not as predicted. Today was a shorter day but I feel just as tired as if it were long. This heat and humidity is draining. Some roads and some TransCanada Trail and many washouts from the heavy rain two weeks ago. I have a lovely campsite and hope to recover well. The video is what the rivers look like here.

July 27 Another very hot day. I remember the heat I went through last year, 116° F. This is worse because of the humidity. I stopped at a small store 2.5 km before the campground. I was hot, tired, out of water and hungry. Breakfast was my last meal, I was on back roads so nothing was available. I bought 2 liters of juice, Gatorade, and a pint of ice cream and ate it all. When I arrived at the campground and set up I boiled water because all the rain had contaminated the Park’s well. Then I took a shower and cooked dinner. I’m ready for sleep. A severe thunderstorm will be here overnight with heavy rain. I wonder how much sleep I will get. I’m on the ocean so hopefully the waves will put me to sleep.

July 25 The campsite that we booked months ago is the most horrendous site I could imagine. This site is wet with filthy water everywhere attracting mosquitoes to us in flying Kamikaze hordes diving onto any exposed skin. One slap of a hand would kill up to a dozen of these little blood suckers. We did make it through the night with a sufficient blood supply to take photos and head off to the campground office demanding that we get moved to an inhabitable site.

We got a new site and hooked up and moved before finally being able to relax, set up again, and enjoy breakfast. This was followed with more than the usual amount of coffee.

July 26 We booked a walking tour of the Mi’kmaq Petroglyphs. We followed our tour guide along a path to the lakeshore where we sat and listened to the history and land of the people.

After removing our shoes we softly walked out onto the inscribed rocks on the lakeshore.

I am now sitting at our site with the dogs writing this post. Nancy is out kayaking on the lake enjoying a much deserved moment of peace and tranquility.

July 24, I made my way to Bear River and then got off the main roads. I climbed up the mountain and biked to Route 8 on a gravel road for many miles. Steep climbs and brutal heat. On Route 8 I stopped on the side of the road in shade and drank all that was left of my water. A car stopped and the couple inside asked if I was ok. I assured them I was ok, I just needed to get out of the sun. They offered me a six pack of water. I filled my bottles and drank the rest. I still have ten miles to go. Just before the park entrance I stop at a small store. I eat a sandwich, drink two Gatorades, and finish with a bowl of ice cream. I am now at the campsite waiting for Nancy to arrive.

July 23 I was offered a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs with coffee. Rose and Willis, my host, were getting ready to go to church that was just a few minutes away. I stayed and got my bike packed for today’s adventure. When they returned Willis offered to take me to the harbor that is just up the road. The fog was lifting and the lobster and fishing boats were moored in the low tide. I could see the stain on the rocky cliffs that appeared to be twelve feet above the sand where the boats sat.

Once back at their house, with the knowledge of Rose, we discussed areas to see and places to stay. I now know that my next host is too far away so I canceled and booked a campsite at Fundy Spray Campground. Now I am off to Digby.  On this sunny day with great views I stop for lunch, a place Rose recommended. Thank you Rose, the lunch was wonderful.

Getting to Fundy Spray Campground was not free of problems and wrong turns. Google Maps was a poor choice. I arrived an hour late and the office is closed. I made a reservation that morning so I set up my tent. I walk over to the showers to find I need quarters, which I do not have and the office is closed. I head back to my tent for a Wet Wipes bath. I cook dinner and go to bed tired.

July 22 we packed up, hitched the camper to the car, and we both started our separate rides. I am headed back to Bar Harbor to catch the ferry to Yarmouth and Nancy is heading to New Brunswick to her campground at Fundy Bay.

I made it to Bar Harbor with a few hours to kill and stopped at the Village Green. I bought a sandwich and a scone and ate half the sandwich on the Green.

Once on the ferry I ate the rest of the sandwich and scone. The boat ride is three and a half hours so my arrival time was 7:30 with the time change to Atlantic Time.

Customs was a breeze. I had booked a place to sleep at a Warmshowers host 50 km away in Cape St. Marys. I watch the sunset over the bay with 10 km to go.

The last 5 km I rode in the dark Nova Scotian fog. A car came up from behind and slowed down next to me. The woman in the passenger seat asked if I was Russ, I replied yes. She introduced herself as Rose, my host, and said to follow them to their home. This kind gesture eased my anxiety of finding their home in the darkness.

They had a nice meal of Shepards Pie and cold beer for my 9  PM dinner. We told stories of touring, then a hot shower and off to bed.